For Members
Communications
Communications Resources
- Press Releases
ASM Press Releases from the past three years. - Meetings Information
Information on the major annual ASM meetings and Conferences. - Journal Tipsheets
ASM Journal Tipsheets from the past three years. - Education Reports
Review of Reports issued by ASM’s Education Department.
The ASM Communications program is governed by the ASM Communications Committee, a committee of ASM member microbiologist volunteers. The vision of the ASM Communications Committee is universal understanding and appreciation of microbes.
What's New in Communications?
Percentage of Cancers Linked to Viruses Potentially Overestimated
WASHINGTON, DC – August 5, 2013 -- The results of a large-scale analysis of the association between DNA viruses and human malignancies suggest that many of the most common cancers are not associated with DNA viruses. The findings, published in the August 2013 issue of the Journal of Virology, challenge earlier studies...
08-05-2013
Methamphetamine Increases Susceptibility to Deadly Fungal Infection
WASHINGTON, DC – July 30, 2013 – Methamphetamine use can make a person more susceptible to the lung infection cryptococcosis, according to a study published in mBio®, the online open-access journal of the American Society for Microbiology.
07-30-2013
Antibiotic Reduction Campaigns Do Not Necessarily Reduce Resistance
WASHINGTON, DC – July 29, 2013 -- Antibiotic use—and misuse—is the main driver for selection of antibiotic resistant bacteria. This has led many countries to implement interventions designed to reduce overall antibiotic consumption. Now, using methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) as an example, Laura Temime of the Conservatoire National des Arts et Metiers,...
07-29-2013
Lab Tests Key to Identifying, Treating Infectious Diseases
WASHINGTON, DC – July 24, 2013 – A new guide developed by the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) and the American Society for Microbiology (ASM) will help physicians appropriately and accurately use laboratory tests for the diagnosis of infectious diseases. Laboratory test results drive approximately two-thirds of physicians’ medical decisions.
07-25-2013
Monoclonal Antibody Effective Against Norovirus
WASHINGTON, DC – July 24, 2013 – Researchers from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) provide the first proof of concept data showing that a monoclonal antibody can neutralize human norovirus. This research, which could one day lead to effective therapies against the virus, was published online ahead...
07-24-2013
Natural Pest Control Protein Effective Against Hookworm: A Billion Could Benefit
WASHINGTON, DC – July 23, 2013 -- A benign crystal protein, produced naturally by bacteria and used as an organic pesticide, could be a safe, inexpensive treatment for parasitic worms in humans and provide effective relief to over a billion people around the world. Researchers from the University of California, San...
07-23-2013
H7N9 Influenza Strain Resistant to Antivirals, But Tests Fail to Identify Resistance
CONTACT: Jim Sliwajsliwa@asmusa.org WASHINGTON, DC – July 16, 2013 – Some strains of the avian H7N9 influenza that emerged in China this year have developed resistance to the only antiviral drugs available to treat the infection, but testing for antiviral resistance can give misleading results, helping hasten the spread of resistant...
07-16-2013
H7N9 Influenza: History of Similar Viruses Gives Cause for Concern
WASHINGTON, DC – July 9, 2013 – The H7N9 avian flu strain that emerged in China earlier this year has subsided for now, but it would be a mistake to be reassured by this apparent lull in infections. The virus has several highly unusual traits that paint a disquieting picture of...
07-09-2013
Genomes of Cholera Bacteria from Haiti Confirm Epidemic Originated from Single Source
WASHINGTON, DC – July 2, 2013 – The strain of cholera that has sickened thousands in Haiti came from a single source and was not repeatedly introduced to the island over the past three years as some have thought, according to a new study to be published in mBio®, the online open-access...
07-02-2013
Telomere Length Influences Cancer Cell Differentiation
WASHINGTON, DC – June 27, 2013 – Researchers from the Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research in Tokyo have discovered that forced elongation of telomeres (extensions on the end of chromosomes) promotes the differentiation of cancer cells, probably reducing malignancy, which is strongly associated with a loss of cell differentiation. They report...
06-27-2013